Welcome

I am a writer and novelist with strong interests in social justice, narrative medicine, and the history of psychiatry. I earned a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature, have Master's degrees in both French and German, and have traveled the globe. I have taught college classes in French, German, English, literature, composition, and creative writing. I am also a guest contributor to the "On Being" blog of American Public Radio and a Pushcart Prize nominee.

I hold an appointment as assistant professor in pediatrics in the Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children's Center at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, where I direct AfterWards, a program in narrative medicine. I am on the editorial board of Bridle Path Press, a small, boutique, literary cooperative, which has published novels, short story collections, and poetry collections. I have presented my work at numerous national and regional conferences and have co-authored a handbook on writing.

I have published articles, essays, short stories, profiles, and two novels, Choke CreekandWolf Constellation. I live in Baltimore, where my dog, Pandora, makes sure that I don't spend too much time working and that I get out to ramble in the beautiful Maryland woods. This website will provide you with a snapshot of my work, past, current, and forthcoming. Welcome.

What's New

Using narrative medicine to build community across the health care professions and foster self-care

In a hospital environment that is often hierarchical and siloed, attending a narrative medicine group reduces isolation among health care providers, makes them feel equally valued, and provides a platform to hear diverse perspectives. By moderating the stress that arises from the emotional labor of hospital work, narrative medicine may also enhance self-care. Journal of Radiology Nursing 36 (2017) 224-227

Using the Humanities in Medical Education

Join Lauren Small, PhD at the IEE Summer Workshop on July 12 at Johns Hopkins Hospital for an introduction to bringing the humanities into medical education.

Wolf Constellation: a new novel now available from Lauren Small

Fifteen-year-old Anna Glanz has stopped speaking, and it’s up to Dr. Gus Thaler of the Phipps Psychiatric Clinic to find out why. Thaler’s search to cure Anna takes him deep into the past, to a mystical rabbi-healer who once exorcised a spirit from Anna’s grandmother. But ultimately as Anna lies dying, her daughter uncovers the secret that even now Anna cannot bring herself to tell.

Written by the Pushcart Prize-nominated author of Choke Creek, Wolf Constellation delivers a gripping tale of mothers and daughters, guilt and forgiveness. Like the wolf that haunts Anna’s dreams, the novel is wild, fantastical, and darkly mysterious. Through an epic story that crosses generations, Lauren Small brilliantly captures the forces that make us who we are—and are so difficult to escape.

"On Being": American Public Radio

The Right to Write about Patients

Can caregivers write about their patients? Should they? Are there guidelines? "The Right to Write about Patients": Hopkins Medicine.

The 90 Year Divide

Nearly a century ago, rival approaches to psychiatry fractured the profession. The Grand Argument is far from over. An article by Lavinia Edmunds and Lauren Small in Johns Hopkins Magazine.

Narrative Medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital

Narrative medicine provides a diverse group of caregivers with new ways to connect with their patients and each other at Johns Hopkins Hospital. From Kafka to Kendrick Lamar, an article by Dr. Benjamin Oldfield and Dr. Lauren Small in Hopkins Medicine.

AfterWards

AfterWards is a program in narrative medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD run by Dr. Lauren Small. The program meets monthly and is open on a drop-in basis to all caregivers. Dr. Small also proivdes narrative medicine programming to fellows, residents, and other dedicated groups. For more information, including a schedule of upcoming sessions, or to bring AfterWards to your hospital or institution, please contact Lauren Small: lsmall2@jhmi.edu.